Zimbabwe Africa: Prostitutes Masquerading As Christians

Mutare — Holding a Bible and smartly-dressed in a formal executive wear, Memory Dube* could be mistaken as an office executive. But alas, she is a hardcore prostitute masquerading as a Christian.

"I am desperate for marriage and at the same time looking for decent clients, who would take care of me," she said. "I can be married if I pretend to be a Christian. I have friends who were prostitutes and they are married now."

Dube, who religiously attends lunch-time prayers at one of the Pentecostal churches in the city centre, is one of the breed of prostitutes that have invaded the mountainous city of Mutare. They pretend to be true Christians by day and turn to hookers by night for survival.

"Our brothers from the church do not go to night clubs, where we will be doing our errands with other clients," said Dube. "Then during the day, we will be chasing the church guys who will end up marrying us."

Another hooker, who identified herself only as Shylet, said they usually had unprotected sex with the brothers from the church but insisted on using condoms with the clients from the bars.

"The church brothers do not use condoms because they say they want to marry us," said Shylet. "Since we are desperate for marriage, we do not have any options but to give in."

She added that she was targeting the church men because they were not exposed to the hassle and bustle of night club life.

"Those guys who frequent nightclubs do not marry because some of them know us," she said, adding that she was prepared to settle down once she found someone who could marry her.

A pastor with a popular church here confirmed female "born again" Christians were flocking to churches in the hope of finding decent people who could marry them.

"We are having a lot of confessions from prostitutes who are saying they are born again," said the pastor. "We feel that they have repented, but we are having problems with others who are snatching other people's husbands in the church."

He said several church goers had fallen prey to the sex workers and ended up marrying them.

"They come to our church in the afternoon and pretend to be Christians and go to night clubs during the night where they sell sex. It has become complicated." he said.
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